BELLINGHAM, Wash. – A total of 67 Western Washington University student-athletes earned 2020-21 Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Awards.
 
Student-athletes must carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) and have completed a minimum two years of college level work to receive the Academic Achievement Award. The university's director of athletics also must be a dues-paying member of the D2 ADA.
 
In previous years, student-athletes were required to be an active member of an intercollegiate team during their last academic year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and decreased athletic participation among schools, only the first two requirements were necessary this year as long as the student-athlete was still an active member of their team's roster.
 
WWU's 67 Academic Achievement Awards for 2020-21 totals four more than in 2019-20 and ranks second among Great Northwest Athletic Conference schools that submitted nominations for the awards. Central Washington collected the most at 136, while Seattle Pacific was third with 65.
 
The Vikings Track & Field and Cross Country teams earned the most awards among Western's programs with 29; the women earning 17 and the men collecting 12. Softball and Men's soccer earned eight each, followed by volleyball with seven.
 
Western's uptick in D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards comes on the heels of 33 Vikings receiving GNAC FAR Awards, which was a school record for the third consecutive year. WWU student-athletes also set a new mark for GNAC Academic All-Conference honors with 115.
 
Overall, 14 of Western's 15 varsity programs totaled a team GPA of 3.00 or better and all student-athletes combined for a cumulative 3.36 GPA during the 2020-21 academic year.
 
A full list of each WWU student-athlete who received the 2020-21 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award is listed below:
 
Women's Track & Field and Cross Country:
Taliah Coe, Aliyah Dawkins, Heather Faretta, Madison Fassiotto, Isabella Foos, Cierra Graham, Skye Hopper, Karlie Hurley, Payton Lunde, Hannah Nienaber, Sophie Paradis, Jamie Sanford, Amanda Short, Natalie Vetto, Raine Westfall, Talia Dreicer, Annika Taylor
 
Men's Track & Field and Cross Country:
Sonny Chhim, Mark Daniels, Kale Engebretsen, Ryan Greenwalt, Cyrus McAllister, Sean Sands, Myles Smith, David Tran, Calahan Warren, Solomon Duke, Mac Franks, Kaleb Korta
 
Softball:
Tatum Dow, Erica Hardy, Taylor Khorrami, Lauren Lo, Megan Marino, Mackenzie Palmer, Kaelynn Simmons, Rylie Wales
 
Men's Soccer:
Gus Diehl, Teagan Eldridge, Danny Fazio, Mitchell Hutter, Brandon Locke, Camron Miller, Alessandro Tomasi, Brandon Wolter
 
Volleyball:
Chloe Roetcisoender, Tess Biscup, Alison Davenport, Calley Heilborn, Gabby Kepley, Anna Maracich, Kasey Woodruff
 
Women's Soccer:
Drew Baty, Grace Eversaul, Claire Henninger, Jenna Killman, Allison Lepp, Katie Watt
 
Rowing:
Maddie Bangasser, Ella Brinkman, Clarice Ruhlin-Hicks
 
Men's Basketball:
Ivan Bullock, RJ Secrest
 
Women's Basketball:
Avery Dykstra, Dani Iwami
 
Women's Golf:
Megan Billeter
 
Men's Golf:
Austin Darnell